Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Will the Leader organise a debate on the farming crisis? As someone who was elected on the agricultural panel I am acutely aware of the difficulties that farmers face after one of the toughest springs on record. March was the coldest month on record. This is a much bigger problem than the one in 2009 when the then Government made emergency funds available to help out the farmers. The situation is perilous and is causing a lot of angst, particularly in the south. I am sure it is the same throughout the whole country but I cannot speak for areas in which I do not live and which I do not represent.

Farmers in west Cork are drawing round bales of silage from as far away as Kildare, at astronomical prices. Unfortunately, in many instances they have run out of fodder and because of the lack of funding the banks, building societies and even credit unions are imposing strict constraints on farmers who are finding it extremely difficult to get extra animal feed because the animal feed providers are in a difficult situation. One sheep farmer told me he lost 85 lambs in one week. Dairy farmers are extremely badly hit. One dairy farmer who has done his accounts said it is costing him approximately €450 a day to feed his 50 strong herd of cows. The difficulty at this time of the year is that dairy herds producing milk go into decline and will not recover which will have a knock-on effect.

Given the seriousness of the situation I propose an amendment to the Order of Business that we have an urgent discussion on the farm crisis today. The situation is dire. I am sure others here from rural backgrounds will understand the points I am making and concur with the need for an urgent debate today.